Ore concentration



A. L. COURT ORE CONCENTRATION Filed Oct. 25. 1918 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll l0 9 5 l2 WW Will 'trated in ,.2etFigure. 1.

each vessel.

Patented (3st. 9,

1,470,350 PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR LACEY COURT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNTA.

ORE CONCENTRATION.

Application filed October 25. 1918. Serial No. 259,634.

T 0 all whom it concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR LACEY COURT,-

a subject of the Kingiof Great Britain re siding at San Francisco, State of Cahtorma,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore Concentration, of which the following is a specificatl-on.

' lhis invention relates .to apparatus for practising the troth fiotation process of ore concentration. Its ob eet is to most eflioiently, and economically and intensively carry on the saidprocess, and with large plant capacity for agiven available space.

' Itrelates to that "type of froth-flotation apparatus wherein agitation-and aeration are etlected by the gravity flow of the pulp.

One. adaptation of this invention is illus- 7 the accompanying drawings iin which: i p I Figure 1 is an elevation-of two connected separators, showing their intervening aerator and the [lower separator in midsection.

Figure 2 is a plan View of one ofthe separators, which may be taken on'the plane Figure 3 is an elevation of an entire series of the separating vessels iii-operative rela- Lion.

"Figure a a plan Yiew of theseparator series of Figure 3.

The entire series otseparatingressels shown comprises six of suchwessels, verti cally arranged. The number of such vessels would be varied desirable in. each jcase. Theyare shown as arranged in series,

thepulp falling by gravity "from separator to separator-and froth "overflowing from 7 Each separatoras shown comprises an outer sheet-metal casingcon'sisting n upper and lower conical frusta 4:2 and 37 united by a short cylindrical section ll and all carried by the annular angle-irons 89 and bolted together by short'bolts 54, and bylo' bolts secured to the beams of the tow be riveted to the lower casing section 87,?1lld the upperangle-iron 4C0. may be riveted'to the cylindrical section &1 which may in turn. be united withthe upper sec- 7 tion 42 asa unit. The lower casing cone 3? is reinforced bya he avyinner liner 38 which takes the wear of the. ore flowing throughithe se araton and dischar esits tail ins through a pipe nipple 17 connected.

:1 crib 6. The lower angle-iron 39' by a pipe flange with the flat bottom wall of the casing;

Inside each separator casing is'an agitation bowl 38 supportedon bolts and spac- Zing bushings 36 which also secure the liner 38 on the lower casing cone. This eddy bowl is formed with an upstanding conical center 34 merging into a stream-line continuity of bottom, sides, and re-entrant overhanging top. Theintake pipe 28 of the separator is suspended in the rerticalaxis of its casing cones and eddy bowl so as to discharge the incoming. pulp stream centrally upon the apex of the spreading cone 84L. Vithin the upper casing cone, and'upon the intake pipe 28 is mounted the grille 31 consisting in annular vanes connected by radial webs to a collar adjustably secured on the pipe by a thumb screw 32. \Vithin the overflow mouth 53 of the upper casing cone, the froth crowder 29 is similarly mounted on the intake pipe by thumb screw 30 A sheet metal launder 43 surrounds the casing and discharges the overflow froth through the launder mouth 44- riser 51. I

I At its upper end the intake pipe 28 has into the concentrates a flange by which the pipe is suspended in the cap 2? screwed on the lower end of the cylindrical aerator 26 which is in turn suspended by a flange connection with the nipple 17 depending from the separator nextabove or from the feed box 8 in the uppermost instance.

An interior fiang'e 21, is formed in the aerator bore near its upper end to engage;

an upper shoulder 20 formed on the injector nozzle for the purpose ot thus suspenrlinp the nozzle. The bore 0% this nozzle converges downward in stream-line formation- A aerator and handled therewith a unit.

Each separator casing has a bypass outlet leading: through its middle cylindrical section ll into a bypass pipe 52 connect ed therewith by a pipe flange 46., the vertical weh of the angle iron being cut out separatorof the series, the ass pipe leads through a corresponding 1ow -regulat-- ing valve 14, but discharges, into the final tailings pipe 48. p p p p The ore pulp suitably cons'titutediand prepared for therequired froth-flotation process of separation, e by the addition of one or more m'ineral-i' rothing agents, is conveyed by a feed trough 5 into thefeed box '8 having sufficient capacity to substantially equalize the flow of pulp therefrom, through the pipe 17 into the first aerator 26, and also over the overflow lip 10 and through the first bypass pipe 12 into said first aerator, A wave bafile 9 prevents fluctuations in the overflow at 10 'which might beicaused by an uneven delivery from the feed trough.

A valve'13 may beintroduced into'the first by pass pipe "12, so that if desired it may be employed to regulate the pulp flow through this by-pass and thus regulate the hydraulic head orliquid level in the feed 7 box; orthe pulp flow through this first by pass pipe may be wholly unrestricted and the p'ulplevel in the feed boxfniaintained at V the level of the overflowlO by determining the rate of feed through the trough ;5 and the flow capacity of .the feed box outlet 15 so that a continual excess flow from the trough will pass over the overflow,

In any event,the feed box deliversto the injector nozzle of the first aerator a suhstaa tially constant flow of pulp which is accelerated in the nozzle and disehargedin a spreading jet which en-trains the surroundingair while continuously drawing its air supply through the inlet holes of the aerator. The falling pulp and air are joined bythe lesser pulp flow descending through the first by-pass pipe 12, and the entire pulp and air 6 enon offroth flotation.

column rushes violently downward through the inlet pipe 28 ofthefir'st separator, and is centrally V delivered against the upstanding streamline apex of the eddy bowl The stream-line conformation of the eddy bowl immediately translates the pulp fall into a hydraulic swirl in vertical planes radiating from the jet-spreading apex, which efiiciently divides the falling ulp and breaks up the entrained air and mixes it into the pulp body in bubbles sufiiciently minute and well distributed to efl'ectthe flotation oi the certain mineral constituents required to be separatedfrom the pulp by the Iphe'norn- As. the pulp is thus agitated in the eddy bowl it continuously overflows the bowl,

while the mineral-carrying airbuhbles rise f in the upper casing cone 42and pass through the grille 31. The function of this grille is to cause a double deflection in the rise of the air and mineral particles through it, so that the rise of gangue particles having less persistent buoyancy will not surmount this double change of direction but will fall back and leave. the concentrate clean. The mineralcarrying bubbles are thus delivered from the upper side of the grille in a state of quiescent flotation-rising by their buoyancy while he f ing symmetrically crowded toward the win ter of the-separator by the, eonvergenceof its upper casing 'cone. As the bubblesrise into the overflow mouth 53 they form the mineralbearing froth which is crowded outward toward its cireuinferential 1i byjthe t'op crowder 29, the annular froth-discharging space between this crowd'er and the overflow lip being 'sui'tablyadjust'ed raisin or lowering the crowder on the pipe 28. he

intake pipe 28 may'befhung so :low that its discharge will surround the upstanding apex of the spreading-hone 3'}, and thespace between this eoneiand the ,pipepriiic'e' can-be adjusted for best results by screwing the ad-' justrnent cap 27 up or down on the lowerend p of the aerator. The cleanin grillegl 'should also be adjusted for most eiiicient action by clamping it Withthe thumb screw 32 at the mostadvanta'gcous elevation on thepipe 28."

While thefagit ation bowl delivers its overflowing mineral-carrying bubbles through the cleaning grille and the froth-discharg ing mouth 53, the main body otlthe pulp liq uor with its unfioated mineral and gangue particle's overflowing the bowl turns down,-

ward through the annular space hetwe enfthe bowl and the separator casing, {the greater part of this pulp passing through thetail- 7 V ings outlet 17 into the injector nozzle of the aerator neXt iIiorder, and a smaller I, art'of the pulp and its lighter particles owing T through'the by-pass pipe '52 into the side 'connectionof said next aerator. L The outflow capacity'ofthe tailings outlet-1 7 and; 1

its eonnected'injector nozzle, and'the out How capacity of thebypass 52' as adjusted by the'regulating valve 1:1,fare so determined 1 as to maintain in 'the :separator that'elevation of pulp level which will produce best results, and in th'e illustrated adaptation of the scheme thisliquid level would 'hefwell above the grille 31'." In hn event, isap parent that the liquid leve. may he readi y varied and adjustec'liby manipulatingtheregulating valve let. Generally speaking the by JtlS-S will carry a pulp flow much less than the 'pulpjflov'v from. the bottom of the sap.

orator through thenex't injector nozzle r l The pulp thus delivered from thefirst f' n'mtor to theaerator 1- ei tinforder,is thereby related as before described, and delirthe series of separators, the last of which delivers both itsbottom discharge and its by-pass discharge to the final tailingspipe 48. ,During this flow of pulp through the separator series, the mineral-carrying froth delivered by each separator to its concentrates launder is thereby carried into the common concentrates riser 51 which conveys the concentrates from all theseparators to he concentrates tank 7, or to any other suit-- able place. i 1

'The separators are designed to effect the most efficient hydraulic action and thereby minimize the required hydraulic" head per separator so as to reduce the necessary hydraulic head for the plant to the least practicable elevation, which desideratum may be very important; on level ground. The scheme is of course adapted eithe "for general. separation or selective flotation of s cific ore constituents, in accordance with the principles of the art, and is intended broadly V for all manner of froth-flotation separation.

Other adaptations of the invention imay be devised by artisans and technicians, and some by the exercise of supplemental invention, but a-ll'within the general principles of the inventionhere disclosed and within the scope of the following claims:

I claim: I

1. Apparatus for .ifroth-fiotation separation comprising a casing having a froth overflow and a tailings outlet, an eddy chamber therein open at the top and dis-:

posedbelow the liquid level in the casing. and means for delivering a falling column of ore pulp and airxmto the eddy chamber,

the bottom of the eddy chamber divergingdownwardly and outwardly from the place of impact of the-falling column, so as to spread the falling column, and also com prising an extension to then turn therlowing pulp and air upwardly.

2. Apparatu v for irotlrflotation separa-- tion comprising a casing having a froth overflow and tailings outlet, an eddy chamber therein having swirling-streamline conformation and an open top'and disposed below the liquid level in the casin and means for delivering a falling colu: 1 of orepulp and air into the eddy chamber in a direction to be translated into a pulp agitating swirl by the said swirling-streanrline conformation of the chamber. 7

3. Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising ajcasing havinga froth overflow and a tailings outlet, an eddy chamber therein open at the top and having central upstanding'strea n-spreading concid anda bottom sides all merginginto a common swirling-stream line surface disposed below the liquid level in the casing, and means for delivering a falling column of ore pulp and air centrally upon the apex of the stream-spreading conoid.

l. Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising a casing having a froth overflow and a tailings outlet, an eddy chamber therein open at the top and disposed below the liquid level-in the casing.

means fordelivering ore pulp and, air into bottom diverging downwardly and out-- wardly from the place of impact of the fallcolumn so as to spread the fallingcolumn. e

6. Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising a separator casing having a tailings outlet and an upwardly converging upper body having a froth overflow, an eddy chamber having a closed bottom and open at its top disposed within'the casing below its liquid level, a spreading cone forming part of the bottom of the eddy chamber, and means for delivering a falling column w re pulp'and air upon the cone.

7. Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising a separator casing having a tailings outlet and an upwardly converging upper body having a froth overflow, an eddy chamber having a closed bottom and open at its top and disposed within the casing below its liquid level, a spreading cone forming part of the bottom of the eddy chant ber, means for delivering a "falling column of ore pulp and air upon the cone, and a quieting grille within the upper body of the casing and above the eddy chamber.

8.,A separator casing having a tailings outlet and an upwardly converging conelike upper body with a concentric iroth overflow, an eddy chamber symmetrically disposed in the separator casing concentric with its cone-liheupper body and having an open top likewise concentric and disposed below the liquid level in the separator and having its bottom and sides curved in swirling-stream-line formation, and a vertical intake pipe'concentric with said cone-like casing part and the eddy chamber and arranged to discharge a falling column of ore pulp and air centrally into the eddy chamber in the line of origin of its stream-line swirls.

(l 9. A separator casing havlng a taihngs eddy bowl concentrically supported in the I i V tor the lowest vessel, and for' each other vessel a main tailings outlet conduit leading outlet and an upwardly converging cone-like upper body with a concentric froth overflow, an eddy chamber symmetrically disposed in the separator casing concentric with its cone-like upper body and having an open top likewise concentric and disposed below the liquid level in the separator and having its bottom and sides curved in swirlingstreain-line formation, and a vertical intake,

pipe concentric with said cone-like casing part and the eddy chamber and arranged to discharge a falling column of ore pulp and air centrally into the eddy chamber 111 the line of origin of its stream-line swirls, and a quieting grillsyn'imetri'cally surrounding the intake pipe between the eddy chamber to a tailings outlet, a vertical intake pipe concentrically entering the upper opening of the vessel and arranged to discharge a column ofore pulp and air below the liquid level therein, and a vessel constituting an vessel'with an intervening annular space and arranged to centrally rece ve the pulp-andair discharge-from the intake pipe and having its bottom and sides curved in a swirl ing-stream line form adapted to'agitate said mixture to form a mineral carrying froth.

11. Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising a series of separating vessels at successive levels and each having a froth overflow, means for feeding pulp and 1 air into' the first vessel, a final tailings outlet for the lowest vessel, and for each other vessel a main tailings outlet conduit leadings its pulp from a main outlet into the vessel next below under conditions adapted to entran air into the pulp, and for a vessel above the lowest vessel a supplemental pulp discharge conduit leading from a submerged le cl regulating outlet at a substancharging'into the course of pulp flow therenext below and including means responsive to the pulp flow therein to entrain air into the pulp, and for a vowel, above the lowest vessel a s 'ipplemental pulp discharge con du'it leading from an outlet at a substantial and air.

distance below the liquid'level in the vessel and above its said main outlet but discharging into the course of pulp flow therefrom.

Apparatus for froth-flotation separa tion comprising a series of separating vessels at successive levels and each having a froth overflow, means for feeding pulp and air into the first vessel, a final tailings outlet for the lowest vessel, and for each other vessel a main tailings outlet conduit leading its pulp from .a main outlet into a vessel below under conditions adapted to entrain air into the pulp, and for a-ves-selabove the lowest vessel a supplemental pulp discharge conduit leading from an outlet at a substantial distance below the liquid level in the vessel and discharging into the course of pulp flow entering a succeeding vessel by a mainoutlet conduit, and means in said supplei'nental discharge conduitadapted to regu'la'te the fiow. therein andthus regulate the liquid level in the vessel from which said supplemental discharge conduit receives its pulp. v i 14. Apparatus for froth HOtati-onseparation comprising a series of separating vessels at successive levels and each having a froth overflow, means for feeding pulp and air into the first vessel, a fin a1 tailings outlet to the pulp flow therein toentrain air into pulp, and for a vessel above the lowest ves- ,sel) asupplemental pulp discharge conduit leading from an outlet above said main outlet but discharging into the said main conduit leading therefrom to the vessel next be'ow. i i i 15. a froth pulp separating chamber, a" deflecting grille in said chamber consisting of concentric nested plates, each plate in the shape of a cone frustum.

16. In an ore flotationapparatus, atfro th pulp separatingchamber a deflecting grille in said chamber consisting of concentric nested. plates, eachmade up of two ,cone frus'ta oppositelyinclined whereby air and mineral particles rising therethrough will receive .a double deflection.

1'7. Apparatus froth -flotation separation co'mprisinga casing having a froth overflow and a tailings outlet, an eddy bowl therein having aspreading cone in its bot tom, and means for delivering a falling column of ore pulp and air upon the cone, the sides of said bowl curving upwardly from said coneand adapted to serve substantially as stream-line guides for the pulp overflow and a t viiings outlet, an eddy bowl for froth-flotation separav In a ilotation-concentration apparatus, '7

therein having a spreading cone in its bottom, and a pipe for delivering a falling column ot ore pulp and air upon the cone, the sides of said bowlextending upwardly from said cone and having an overhanging top extending toward the pipe, so that the cone and sides substantially term streamlineguides for the pulp and air.

19. Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising a casing having a froth overflow and a tailings outlet,-an eddy bowl therein having a spreading cone in its bottom, and a pipe for delivering a falling column of ore pulp and air upon the cone, the sides of said bowl extending upwardly from said cone and having an overhanging and reentrant top extending toward the pipe, so that the cone and sides substantially form streameline guides for the pulp and air.

Apparatus for froth-flotation separation comprising an inverted pyramidal casing having a froth overflow and a bottom tailings outlet, an eddy bowl therein above the outlet and having a spreading cone in its bottom, and means for delivering a falling column of ore pulp andair upon the cone, the sides of said bowl curving upwardly from said cone and adapted to serve substantially as stream-line guides for the pulp and air.

21.- Apparatus for froth-flotation separa-.

tion comprising a series of separating ves sels at successive levels and each having a froth overflow, means for feeding'pulp and air into the first vessel, a final tailing's outlet tor the lowest vessel, for each other vessel a main tallings outlet conduit leading its v pulp front a main outlet into the vessel next sels at successive levels and each having a' froth overflow, means for teedingpulp and air into the first vessel, a. final tailings outlet for the lowest vessel, for each other vessel a main ta-ilings outlet conduit leading its pulp from a main outlet into the vessel next below and including means responsive to the pulp flow therein to entrain air into the pulp, a wholly submerged evel regulating outlet for each said other vessel arranged at a substantial distance below the pulp level in said other vessel and a conduit leading pulp from said level regulating outlet to the main tailings conduit for its vessel to deliver said pulp with the main tailings outlet discharge to the next vessel.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

ARTHUR LAGEY COURT. 

